Curtain-fixture.



D. HOYT.

' CURTAIN FIXTURE. APPLICATION FILD SEPT". a. 191s.

1,261,390.. w Patented Apr. 2,1918. 7

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DfLNIEL IIOYT, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 THE NATIONAL LOCK CQMPANY, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F New JERSESL CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

T0 all when@ may www' Be it known that I; DANIEL HOYT, a Citi- Zen ofthe UnitedStates, residing in the city of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain- Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make, construct, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto figures of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to certain improvements in curtain fixtures, and more particularly to that class offixtures wherein the curtain is retained in its lowered position by a weighted bar located in the, bottom of the curtain, and having a spring-tensioned roller which constantly tendsto roll up the curtain when the weighted har is raised, but which is prevented from. unrolling by a brake arranged on the roller.

I am aware that there are devices of a similar character in service which have not proven satisfactory for various reasons.

One of the objects of thisinvention is to so construct the curtain roller the fbrake on the roller will remain constant in service.

Another obj ectof this inyentionis to` make fthe roller automatically adjustable between the roller supporting brackets.

With theabove `and other objects in view, the inventionA consists in the novel construction, combinationv and arrangementofl parts to be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings, I

Figure 1 represents a car window provided with a curtain embed-ying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional view taken on lines m-w ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the plug illustrating the roller brake and roller adjustment, and alsorepresenting in dotted lines, one end of the 'shade roller andthe position that the plug. assumes therein.

Figs. 4 and 5 represent respectively, plan and edge viewsof the roller supporting bracket. i l

Fia 6 represents arlanvvf the @what wheel.

Fig. 7 represents a sectionalview of the Specification ofletters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

`Appligation led September 3, 1,913. Serial N o. 787,837.

'plug and roller taken on lines .fr-m of Fig. 3; and

Figs. 8 and 9 represent respectively, plan and edge views of the brake spring.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to `indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a car window provided with a curtain embodying my invention, wherein 1 represents the window frame, 2 the ordinary stops on the frame which are provided with the ordinary curtain grooves 3 shown in Fig. 2, and 4 represents the curtain. In carrying out my invention, I employ a tin roller 5 of ordinary construction, providedwith a tensioning spring located in one end thereof, Vthe opposite end of said roller being hollow. The roller 5 is also` provided with the ordinary curtain groove which extends the entire length of the roller and which is formed on the inside of 'the roller, thereby providing a ridge or tongue 27. Within the hollow end of the roller 5 I locate a plug 7 which may be of any suitable material, but if made of wood, I place a hard metal washer 11 against the outer end of the same having a diameter approximating that of the plug. Against the inner end of the plug 7 I place a similar lwasher 12. `These metal washers 11 and 12 vslide in and out freely; 22 represents a longitudinal groove extending the length of the plug 7 into which the tongue 27 of the roller 5` fits, and which compels the plug 7 at all times to turn with the roller 5. 8 represents a rod or bearing shaft extending through the entire length of the plug 7, and on which the plug, together with the roller 5, freely turns. The outer end of the rod 8 extends beyond the plug 7 forming a pintle 13 for the roller 5. v

A 0n the rod 8 and just inside of the pintle 1 3 I irmly secure in any convenient manner, a ratchet wheel 9, the diameter of which should preferably correspond with the diameter of the roller 5, and should be made of hard material, the inner face of which should be provided with a smooth surface. llhe periphery of the ratchet wheel is provided with spurs 21.

10 represents a spring conveniently interposed between the ratchet wheel 9 and the washer 11 on the end of the plug 7. As the pressure of the spring 1() against the face of the ratchet wheel 9 and the face of the wash'er 11 constitutes the braking power, and inasmuch as it is essential that this power remain constant in service, l preferably make theoutside diameter of the spring 10 as large as possible, in order that the pressure thereof may bear as near the circumference of both the washer and wheel as possible, thereby obtaining the maximum braking power with the minimum pressure, and consequently, the least wear on both the face of the washer and the ratchet wheel. lnasmuch as the space between the washer and ratchet wheel is open, there will be little opportunity for grit to accumulate and wear the parts. The inner end of the rod 3 eX- tends beyond the inner end of the plug 7 and at this point the rod is threaded to receive an adjusting nut 14, which is screwed up against the washer 12 drawing the ratchet wheel 9 inward and compressing` the spring 10 between the washer 11 and the wheel 9, until the desired tension is obtained, after which another nut 15 is screwed on the rod 3 against the nut 1&1, thereby locking the nuts together on the rod S.

1t will of course be understood that the ratchet wheel 9 will naturally turn with the ameter of the roller 5.

1n order to maintain the thrust plug 16 on the reduced portion 17 of the rod 8, 1 provide the end of the rod with two jam nuts 19 and 20, which have screw-threaded engagement therewith. The thrust plug 16 is secured within the roller 5 in any suitable manner, such as prickpunching the tin roller 5 as shown at 26, and at a distance from the end of the roller, so that the plug 7 carrying the pintle 13 will extend beyond the end of the roller as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Figs. et and 5 represent a bracket which l employ to support one end of the roller, and which consists of a plate 23 provided with a pintle hole 29, which does not quite extend through the plate 23. Above and back of the pintle hole 29 a pawl 24: `is loosely secured. 25 represents a stop integrally formed with said plate 23, designed to limit the upward movement of the pawl 211.

The weighted bar G which 1 employ and which is illustrated in thel curtain, may be made of any suitable material, and it is only necessary that it should have sufficient weight to overcome the reasonable tension on the spring roller. 0n one side of the window frame, I secure the ordinary square hole bracket 2S, for the square-roller pintle, and on the opposite side of the window frame, l secure the bracket 23. When installing my improved curtain fixture in the window frame, 1 first place the weighted bar 6 in a pocket formed near the bottomV of the curtain il. 1 then attach the curtain il to the roller 5 in the usual manner, and place the roller in the brackets 23 and 28. The round pintle 13 l place in the hole 29 of the bracket 23, having first raised the pawl 24. rllhe depth of the hole 29 in the bracket 23 is so arranged that the end of the pintle 13 will contact with the bottom thereof, leaving the ratchet wheel closely adjacent the bracket 23, but not in contact therewith. I then force the plug 7 into the hollow roller until the square pintle will enter the square hole in the bracket 28, when the spring 17 will force both pintlesaway from each other and maintain theroller in. its adjusted length, as fully described in my Patent No. 1,049,485, dated January 7th, 1913, and maintaining the ratchet wheel 9 under the pawl 211, 1 then allow the pawl to drop into engagement with the spurs 21 of the ratchet wheel 9. When the weighted bar G is raised, the tension of the roller winds the curtain up, and the roller 5 revolves on the pintle 13, as indi cated by the arrow in Fig. 2 of the dra-w ings, and when the curtain is lowered the pawl 2i engages with the ratchet wheel 9 preventing the same from turning, and the roller revolves on vthe rod or bearing shaft 8.

lnasmuch as the weighted bar pulls down more than the tension of the roller pulls up, the natural `tendency of the curtain is to drop, but as the spring 10 exerts a pressure between the plug 7 and the ratchet wheel 9, the weight of the bar is not suilicient to overcome this pressure,` and the curtain is held by said pressure. 1n order to lower the curtain, it is only necessary to pull down on the bar sufliciently hard to overcome the friction caused by the spring 10. As part of the weight of the bar is always under friction created by the spring '10, it is absolutely essential that the spring itself and the parts against which it bears must be of such a character that' it will be constant in service.

Experience has demonstrated that the above organization is a highly eiiicient one,

and while the device shown and described is the preferred embodiment of my present invention, l do not care to be restricted to the combination and arrangement herein shown and described, as obvious modifications of the saine will appear to those skilled in the art.

claim:

l. A spring tensioned roller having a pintle at one end and a socket at the other end, a plug slidably located in said socket, a shaft extending through said plug, the outer end of which constitutes a pintle, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, a spring on the shaft to be compressed to frictionally lock the plug and ratchet wheel together, an adjusting nut on the shaft to compress the spring to strengthen or weaken the frictional locking strength of the plug and the ratchet wheel, means to secure the adjusting nut in place, and brackets for the roller, one of which has a pawl, said roller adapted to be supported by the brackets and to be used on a curtain having a weighted bar at the bottom, said weight bein@ sufficient to more than overcome the tension of the spring in the roller, and the pawl on the bracket adapted to engage the ratchet Wheel to prevent the weighted bar from drawing the curtain down.

2. A shade roller comprising a hollow metallic shell and having a tensioning spring located within one end thereof, a squared pintle extending beyond the end of the roller, a curtain groove within the roller shell extending the entire length thereof, forming a ridge within the roller shell, and a socket in the opposite end of said roller, a plug located in said socket and freely slidable longitudinally therein, said plug being rotatable with the roller, a shaft eX- tending longitudinally through said plug and on which it is adapted to revolve, one end of said shaft extending beyond the roller forming a pintle, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, a spring on the shaft to frictionally lock the plug and ratchet wheel together, means to adjust the tension on the spring and means to hold the tensioning means in position. v

3. A shade roller having a pintle at one end and a socket at the other end, a plug slidable in said socket, a bearing shaft eX- tending through said plug, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft and carrying a pint-le,

a spring brake on the shaft, means to adjust the tension of the brake, a thrust member fixed in said socket remote from the end thereof and having an opening through which the s haft slides, a spring between the thrust member and the plug tending to thrust the plug outward and a stop on the shaft to limit the 4outward movement of the plug.

4t. A shade roller having a pintle at one end and a socket at the otherl end, a plug slidable in said socket, a shaft extending through said plug and having a roller pintle at the outer end, a frictional brake meinber on the shaft beyond the end of the pluo', a thrus member fixed in said socket and having an opening through which said 'shaft slides, a spring between the plug and the thrust member tending to thrust said plug outward and a stop on the shaft to limit the out-ward movement of the plug.

5. ik spring tensioned ro-ller having a piutle at one end and a socket at the other end, a plug located in said socket, a shaft extending through said plug, the inner end of said shaft being screw-threaded, ratchet wheel on the shaft, a pintle carried by the plug for the roller, a spring brake on the 'shaft adapted to frictionally lock the ratchet wheel and plug together, a screw nut on the threaded end of the shaft whereby the shaft is shortened between the screw nut and the ratchet wheel and which compresses the spring and means to adjust the distance between the roller pintles.

6. A shade roller having a pintle at one end and a socket at the other end, an adjustable plug slidably located in said socket and rotatable therewith, a bearing shaft extending through said plug, a ratchet wheel on said shaft and carrying a pintle, a spring brake on the shaft, a thrust member secured in the roller through which the shaft extends, another spring located on the shaft between the plug and thrust member constantly tending to force the plug outward from the socket and means to limit the movement of the plug outward.

rlhis specification signed and witnessed this 2nd day of September, 1913.

DANEL l-lOY'l.

'Witnesses JOHN A. MILLER, CLIFFORD A. ALLIs'roN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1D. G. 

